CAPTAIN BASIL HALL

person must have heard of the astonishing rapidity of
the growth of the bamboo. It is said, indeed, that in
one season it starts up to its whole length. I do not
know if this be true, but am quite certain that if one
of the main bamboos were to spring from the ground
in the centre, or even near the sides of the cluster, and
that from its joints there were at the same time to sprout
out the lateral branches I have described, it would be
impossible for the main stem to force its way through
the obstructions presented by the net-work, formed by
the little branches growing from the joints of the other
bamboos in the cluster.

After examining a considerable number of the
clusters, however, we can, I think, discover how Nature
manages this difficult affair. When the bamboo first
springs out of the ground, it is about as thick as a man's
wrist, but it is armed with a very sharp point, not
unlike that of a wooden instrument called a fid, which
sailors make use of in splicing ropes. As this point is
extremely hard, and the bamboo always highly polished,
it readily makes its way through the very thickest
masses of the little branches, as one might thrust a
sword through a quickset hedge. Thus, the bamboo,
whose growth is prodigiously rapid, starts upwards,
and, by reason of its smooth sharp end, and perfectly
smooth sides, easily makes its way to its extreme
length and thickness, without, as I conceive, sending
out a single lateral shoot from any of its joints till the
utmost extent has been gained The subordinate
branches from the joints then, but not till then, begin
to start out horizontally, all these being, after the
manner of the principal stem, exempted from lateral
shoots at their joints till their utmost length has been
reached. In consequence of this beautiful arrange-
ment, none of these successive branches, however
numerous or delicate, find any difficulty in piercing the
confusion.

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